There is a new NSDUH report on the development of dependence upon a substance in the 2 years following substance use initiation as explained below. For the purposes of this report, persons who initiated use of a substance 13 to 24 months prior to the interview are referred to as "year-before-last initiates." Year-before-last initiates were … Continue reading Top Posts of 2011 #5 – Substance Use and Dependence Following Initiation of Alcohol or Illicit Drug Use
Author: Jason Schwartz
I have been an addiction professional and social worker since 1994. I started blogging in 2005 as the Clinical Director at Dawn Farm. I currently serve as the Director of Social Work and Spiritual Care for a healthcare system. I've also served as the Director of Behavioral Health at another hospital. I'm also a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work.
Views expressed here are my own.
Keep in mind that the field, the contexts in which the field operates, and my views have changed over time.
Top Posts of 2011 #6 – The Epidemic of Mental Illness: Why?
CNN.com summarizes a NYT Book Review review of three recent books that challenge conventional wisdom about mental illness. All of the authors of the new books agree on two thought-provoking viewpoints: 1. Our understanding of categories of mental illness and their treatments has been influenced by drug companies, through both legal and illegal marketing. 2. … Continue reading Top Posts of 2011 #6 – The Epidemic of Mental Illness: Why?
Top Posts of 2011 #7 – Marijuana inc.
Keith Humphreys on what a legalized marijuana industry would look like: If the U.S. legalized marijuana today, those now fading cultural meanings would not rule the day, capitalism would. Cannabis would be seen as a product to be marketed and sold just as is tobacco. People in the marijuana industry would wear suits, work in … Continue reading Top Posts of 2011 #7 – Marijuana inc.
What Vietnam Taught Us
I've noticed an uptick in book, news and blog references to heroin addiction among returning Vietnam vets. (A Google news search suggests that this perception is accurate. I suspect it's because it offers a narrative that's consistent with the current monoculture.) It's claimed that this offers important lessons about addiction and behavior change. In May of … Continue reading What Vietnam Taught Us
Top Posts of 2011 #8 – Motivational Interviewing crash course for parents
After setting up a scene of a parent with a child in the ER for the second time with alcohol poisoning, a blogger at intervene.drugfree.org offers some advice: People tend to only listen to one person — themselves. And, as a result, they’re only influenced by one person …again — themselves. So, as frustrating as … Continue reading Top Posts of 2011 #8 – Motivational Interviewing crash course for parents
The monoculture and addiction
The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change; until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds. —R. D. Laing I just started reading Monoculture … Continue reading The monoculture and addiction
Top Posts of 2011 #9 – The second ‘A’ in AA
Am I the only one who is really underwhelmed with these recent pieces on whether anonymity in AA has been rendered quaint? To me, they seem to fundamentally misunderstand AA's anonymity. There's plenty of room within AA's traditions for activism and public education, AA members are just advised not to identify themselves as AA members in the media, avoid … Continue reading Top Posts of 2011 #9 – The second ‘A’ in AA
Top Posts of 2011 #10 – How AA and NA work
Here is a summary of the knowledge presented at last year's conference on AA and NA: The preponderance of evidence supports the causal pathway that AA attendance leads to abstinence (Kaskutas, Zemore). 12-Step affiliation significantly enhances the odds of sustaining abstinence for multiple years among polysubstance-dependent individuals (Laudet). 12-Step involvement yields benefits above and beyond meeting attendance (Kaskutas, … Continue reading Top Posts of 2011 #10 – How AA and NA work
Top Posts of 2011 #11 – Rethinking confrontation
A repost from 4 years ago: I posted on this when it came out, but Bill White and Bill Miller recently published an article on confrontation that was just made available on the Counselor Magazine website. It makes a terrific point on confrontation as a therapeutic goal in contrast to confrontation as a therapeutic style: … Continue reading Top Posts of 2011 #11 – Rethinking confrontation
the root and foundation of many other enormous sins
From England in 1606, An Act For Repressing the Odious and Loathsome Sin of Drunkenness: "Whereas the loathsome and odious sin of drunkenness is of late grown into common use within this Realm, being the root and foundation of many other enormous sins, as a bloodshed, stabbing, murder, swearing, fornication, adultery and such like, to the great … Continue reading the root and foundation of many other enormous sins
Recovery Review 